


The Farm

by youwishpreppy



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-01-16 01:27:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18511123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youwishpreppy/pseuds/youwishpreppy
Summary: Joaquin survives drinking from the poisoned G&G chalice and wakes up at the Sisters as a member of The Farm. Apparently, he is one of the few worthy who came back from (almost) death and ascended. But Joaquin sees what The Farm really is, a cult which only wants to gain money and other advantages from their members. He plans to leave town once he is fully recovered, but things change when he finds out that Kevin has become a Farmie too. Joaquin decides to stay and do anything in his power to convince his ex-boyfriend that The Farm isn't good for him.





	1. Chapter 1

Joaquin had become a member of the farm without wanting to. All he remembered was being held up by two Gargoyle gang members, and the Gargoyle King himself pressing a chalice with blue liquid to Joaquin's lips. After that, it had only been pain and blackness slowly overtaking Joaquin's vision.

The next thing he remembered was waking up in some kind of church, or so he had thought back then. It had been the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. People clad in all white were gathered around him, singing and wiping his face clean with a cold washcloth. They had told him that he had ascended, that he was one of the few worthy people who had come back from death, and now he could live here as one of them.

Joaquin had been confused at first, his mind still fuzzy from the poison. Nothing that these people said made any sense. He had flashbacks to juvie, Archie Andrews throwing Joaquin to the ground, shielding him from the bullets during their first attempt to flee. He saw images of Gargoyle gang meetings, combined with things that couldn't have happened, blackness and a light at the end of a tunnel... and then memories from a happier time, Kevin smiling at him, tilting his head to press his lips against Joaquin's.

It took several days until Joaquin was able to connect everything. He had drunk a poisoned G&G cup. It had been his punishment for telling Jughead about the sacrifice mark on Archie's skin. Joaquin hadn't been supposed to survive, but somehow he had. Someone must have brought him here, someone who was part of the game. This was the place where those who had ascended went. The Farm.

At first, Joaquin was confused by what The Farm was, but he figured out quickly that it was some kind of cult. It had religious aspects, and the members were all in a state of freakish delight.

The leader of The Farm was a guy called Edgar Evernever, and Joaquin could see why he managed to make people believe this bullshit about finding peace and reaching another spiritual level. Edgar was charismatic and charming, a good looking guy who knew all the right things to say. Joaquin guessed it was hard to resist his brainwashing tactics.

That may be true, but Joaquin had seen too much, been too deeply involved in G&G to believe the stuff Edgar told him. Even so, he knew that this place was the only safe place he had at the moment, so he smiled and nodded when talking to Edgar, told him how grateful he was to be here, how amazing it felt to have ascended.

He knew they were drugging the people who came here. Joaquin had seen a lot of people doing drugs, knowing the effects they had and recognizing the symptoms. He was careful with the food and water, always making sure to only drink water he had gotten himself from the tap.

Soon he figured out that the drugs weren't in everything they served, but you had to be careful of the sweets. Brownies, cookies, cakes... those were the dangerous things.

Joaquin decided to wait until he was back to his former strength before making a plan. He needed to wait until they trusted him enough to get distracted by other things, providing Joaquin an opportunity to escape.

He did have a plan, obviously. He wanted to go back to San Junipero, leave Riverdale behind for good. Of course, it meant he’d have to give up on a second chance with his brother or with Kevin, but Joaquin told himself that it was probably for the best. Ricky had always been troubled, and everyone had told Joaquin that he couldn't help his brother, that Ricky needed professional help. And Kevin... it hurt to think about it, but Joaquin was sure that his Preppy had moved on by now.

Joaquin made sure to stay alert and ready for his chance to get away. Finally, it seemed as if maybe tonight he would get an opportunity. Edgar was out of town, only Evelyn was here, and she was organizing some initiation ritual. She had recruited some new Farmies at school apparently, and they would be taking part in a firewalking ceremony to prove their strength of will.

Joaquin waited until Evelyn and her cohorts had left and then sneaked out through the backyard. It was surprisingly easy. Apparently, The Farm didn't expect their members to want to leave.

Joaquin felt a surge of giddy hopefulness. He would get away, finally free again, and he could just leave this horrible town behind and start over anew.

He was in the middle of the forest when he heard the chanting. The firewalking ritual, he thought. He knew he should run the opposite way and make sure to keep out of sight, but something made him walk towards the voices, and soon he saw the gleaming of hot ashes through the trees.

He stopped when he was near enough and watched in morbid fascination as several white-clad figures were standing in two rows flanking the firewalk and Evelyn was giving a little speech.

It wasn't until the figure in the middle, the one who was about to do this ritual, lifted his head that Joaquin recognized him.

"Kevin!"

The word was out of his mouth before he could stop himself. Joaquin clapped a hand on his lips in shock, afraid that he had given himself away. But then he realized he wasn't the only one who had shouted.

Someone was running through the branches only a few feet away from him, stumbling through the thicket and running towards the ceremony. It was Betty Cooper, ponytail flying in the wind, screaming, begging Kevin to stop with this madness.

Joaquin watched in horror as Kevin just stared into space beside Betty and started to walk. Joaquin realized suddenly that he had made several steps towards the little group too, instinctively wanting to go over to Kevin. He forced himself to stop, grabbing a tree trunk so hard that the bark made the skin of his palms bleed.

It was over in mere seconds. Kevin reached the other end of the firewalk, smiling proudly as Evelyn welcomed him and hugged him. The farmies started to sing again and began to walk back towards the Sisters.

Betty was standing in the middle of the clearing looking lost and scared. It was how Joaquin felt too. He hadn't expected this... not Kevin. He let out a shaky breath that turned into a sob, tears already running down his cheeks.

So close... he had been so close to getting away from all of this, so close to getting to safety. But how could he go if the boy he loved was part of this morbid cult now?

It took only a short moment for Joaquin to make up his mind. He couldn't leave, he had to go back to the Sisters before someone found out he was gone. He had to do it for Kevin's sake. Maybe he could talk to him there, convince him that The Farm was dangerous. He had to save Kevin Keller.

No one had suspected anything, and so Joaquin just went back into his little room as if nothing had happened. He spent the next days watching and trying to listen in on Evelyn's conversations. Apparently, Kevin was a full member now, and he would be here to take part in the cult meetings and have spiritual talks with Evelyn and Edgar.

Joaquin watched as Kevin came to the Sisters a few days later to meet Edgar for a long talk. He looked distraught when he left, wiping tears away, and Joaquin wanted to go after him and hug him, offer him comfort. Before he could do so, Evelyn was already at Kevin's side, offering him a tissue. Joaquin leaned back against the wall and sighed in frustration. It seemed that he had to wait a bit longer until he could talk to Kevin.

A new chance offered itself a few days later. Kevin was at the farm, clad all in white to take part in a welcoming ceremony for another cult recruit when Joaquin followed him into the garden and cornered him.

"Kevin."

He could see that Kevin instantly recognized his voice, saw the stiffening of his shoulders before Kevin turned around and stared at Joaquin in utter surprise.

"Joaquin? What are you doing here?"

It was almost comical, the way he was standing there with his mouth opening and closing, but Joaquin was closer to tears than to laughter. It had been his biggest wish to reunite with Kevin, and now that it was happening for real, he was almost overwhelmed by the feeling of being so close to his ex-boyfriend, to hear his voice, directed at Joaquin and to look into those beautiful green eyes again.

Joaquin had to get a grip. He wasn’t here to stare at Kevin with his heart racing, proof that he was still completely in love with his ex. He cleared his throat and tried a small smile.

"I live here at the moment."

Kevin’s expression became even more incredulous upon hearing Joaquin’s words.

"But.. but I thought you had left town again... I was looking for you after we met in the woods. Why are you here with The Farm?"

"I’ll tell you. I want to tell you, but not here."

Joaquin took Kevin's hand, not caring that maybe it was a bit too intimate of a gesture, and gently pulled his ex-boyfriend along, further into the park-like garden and away from any people who could overhear them. He stopped at a bench in front of a little vegetable garden and sat down with Kevin.

Kevin was still staring at him in confusion. He looked so beautiful, his handsome face so open and trusting, green eyes sparkling in the sunlight and the white clothes making his hair look darker than usual, providing a striking contrast.

"What do you want to tell me, Joaquin? And... um... well, are you ok? I was worried about you after seeing you so out of it when you ran from juvie."

It made tears prick at the corners of Joaquin's eyes. Kevin had been worried about him. He had still cared about the boy who had kept all those secrets from him and left him behind, all to run away from his past crimes.

He gulped hard, needing to control his emotions again so he could do what he had to. He took a deep breath and lifted his head, looking directly into Kevin's eyes, as he began to explain.

"I’m not here on my own free will. I was involved in G&G, you know that right?"

He knew that he was probably looking like a mess at the moment, eyes red from unshed tears and his face pale as he thought of all the horrors he had encountered during the last months. Usually, he would avoid showing weakness. But he hadn’t been able to hide his turmoil in front of Archie, and he definitely wasn’t able to do so in front of Kevin.

Kevin grimaced slightly at the mention of the game but he nodded slowly.  “Yes, but what does that have to do with The Farm?"

"It's connected. The Gargoyle King made me drink from a poisoned chalice, and I almost died..."

His voice broke. Saying that part out loud was harder than he had imagined. He wrung his hands in his lap, shaking slightly as the memories of that particular night came back. He wanted to disappear at that moment, averting his gaze to stare at his lap, but then Kevin's hand was on his, and he stroked Joaquin's skin softly.

"Hey, it's ok. I’m so sorry to hear that, to think that you were in that much danger... I’m so glad you’re safe now."

Joaquin let out a sigh, but his hands stopped shaking. Kevin’s touch and his soothing voice were comforting. Joaquin lifted his head again to look at Kevin, seeing only concern and affection in the other boy’s face, which helped Joaquin calm down some more and regain enough composure to continue.

"Yeah. I survived somehow, and I ended up here. I don't know the details, but someone brought me here, and The Farm is involved in the game. They told me that I’m worthy, that I ascended and now I can live here since I don't really have another place to stay."

"Ok, but The Farm and G&G are two different things, Joaquin. G&G is evil, The Farm is good. I think you’re a little mixed up, which is totally understandable, of course, after what you’ve been through!” Kevin paused, looking away from Joaquin briefly in thought. “You know, The Farm also talks about ascension, but it's something different than G&G. It's about spirituality and finding your peace. I think that's what they meant by telling you that."

"No, no that's not what they meant. It's part of G&G," Joaquin insisted, but Kevin just shook his head.

"Joaquin, please calm down. I don't want to interfere with your healing process. Maybe we shouldn't talk about this, okay? I don't want to disturb you. But,” he added quickly, “I am glad you’re here. The Farm is the right place for you right now. It will help you be ok again. They help me a lot too. We can be grateful for them."

Joaquin could only stare at Kevin in shock. Kevin was talking to him as if Joaquin had lost his mind. Or maybe Kevin was the one who had lost his mind, or more like had been brainwashed by The Farm.

"You shouldn't be here. The Farm is not good for you Kevin. They use people and brainwash them, they drug them."

Kevin frowned and shook his head. "No, that's not true. Noone ever tried to brainwash me. They just listen to what I tell them. And I never got any drugs."

"Kevin, they manipulate you. And the drugs are hidden in the sweets. Whatever you do, please don't eat any brownies or cookies or stuff like that."

"But I ate lots of Evelyn's brownies, and they weren't... oh..." He suddenly seemed to remember something, blinking several times before looking at Joaquin again. "I guess I was feeling a bit weird after eating several of them last week... and I, well, I had a vision. I saw Midge, and she told me it was my fault that she died."

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean! Those were the drugs. They make you see things that aren't real.” Joaquin thought for a second before continuing. “I know that they make some people believe they see their deceased loved ones... they’re doing that to Betty's mom. She thinks she’s seeing her dead son."

"Alice? I didn't know that... well ok, but maybe the drugs are just to open our mind to reach another spiritual level. I mean, it's not that bad I guess. I’ve taken JJ and Fizzle Rocks before, and those weren't bad either,” Kevin remarked offhandedly. Joaquin’s face paled.

"You did what? Preppy, drugs are never good."

"Yeah, technically not I guess, but nothing happened. Everybody takes those drugs. It's no big deal. And Joaquin, sorry to say this, but I think your mind really is a bit messed up after everything you’ve been through and that near-death experience. You’re a bit paranoid I think, which is normal under those circumstances. But you don't have to be scared. I’m safe here with The Farm, and you are too."

Joaquin couldn't believe his ears. The farm had really gotten to Kevin it seemed. And Kevin was taking drugs? Joaquin wondered what had happened during his absence. The boy he had known last year, that sweet, smart boy, wouldn't have done drugs. But the most disturbing thing was that Kevin didn't see anything wrong with Evelyn drugging him and other people without their consent. It made Joaquin realize that nothing he would say to Kevin would convince him The Farm was bad. He had to be careful, and so he put on a smile and changed the topic.

"Maybe you’re right. Maybe I am still a little out of it. So, how have you been? What happened in your life during the last year?"

Kevin sighed, and a shadow crossed over his face. "The last year was hard for me. I mean, that's the reason I’m here. I just needed this. Evelyn listened to me and understood me, and I’m so grateful for that."

"But, wouldn't it be better to talk to someone closer to you? What about your dad? Or Betty?" Joaquin suggested but to no avail. Kevin's answer was a huff, and he shook his head, looking sadly at Joaquin.

"You don't understand, Joaquin. I really had no one to talk to. The people close to me are part of the problem." He was about to say more but was interrupted by the sound of chanting. The ceremony was beginning. Kevin looked towards the building and was already getting up. "I should go back. But I guess we’ll see each other more often if you are staying here."

They said goodbye with a hug, and Joaquin watched Kevin leave, still not any wiser as to what had happened or what he could do to help his Preppy.

The next day brought a surprise for Joaquin. He just exited his room, when he almost ran into Kevin, who was holding something and smiled, a bit nervous, at Joaquin.

"Hey. Look, I just wanted to give you this." He pressed a tape into Joaquin's hand. "That's the recording of my interview with Edgar. You wanted to know why I think The Farm is good for me and why I think I need them. Listen to it, please, and you’ll understand."

"But.. but those are very private things..." Joaquin could only imagine what was on that tape, given just the little bit of information Kevin had told him the day before.

"Yeah, I know, but I told those things to Edgar and agreed to let him record it. It's ok, Joaquin. I’m comfortable with you knowing about it. Please, listen to it... I want you to understand."

That night, Joaquin listened to Kevin's tape. He still had mixed feelings about doing it, but Kevin wanted him to hear all this, and Joaquin had to know why Kevin was so involved with The Farm. So, as reluctant as he was, he played it.

He listened to Kevin talk about how much the divorce of his parents had bothered him, heard him confess, under tears, that the guy he had been dating, Moose, had left him and how heartbroken Kevin was about it. Joaquin learned that Kevin's friends never seemed to have time for him anymore. To his horror, he also heard Kevin talk about the past year, about the boy he loved back then who had been involved in some bad things and how he had to leave Kevin behind, how Kevin had gone crazy after that, not able to deal with it. How he had gone to the woods at night, knowing full well that a killer was on the loose, but that he had simply not cared, or that a small part of him had even hoped the Black Hood would find him and put an end to it all.

Joaquin was crying by the time he finished the tape. No wonder Kevin sought comfort here, no wonder The Farm's promises had lured him in. Kevin was the perfect victim for a cult like this. His tape was the testimony of a lonely and broken boy, one who believed something was wrong with him if no one was willing to stay by his side. He was an easy target, emotionally unstable and desperate for any kind of comfort he could get.

It broke Joaquin's heart, and it scared him. He had to get Kevin out of here, had to make him see that those people weren't up to any good. He needed to convince Kevin that none of those people cared about him, none of them wanted to help him.

Edgar had already asked several questions about how close Kevin was with Sierra McCoy, knowing full well that the ex-mayor was a wealthy woman, and if Kevin, who was part of her family now, could convince her, she would be of great value to The Farm, able to donate lots of money to them. Joaquin was sure this was the main reason The Farm wanted Kevin.

Two days later, Kevin was back at the Sisters for another Farm meeting, and Joaquin took the opportunity to pull him aside and talk to him once more.

"I listened to your tape,” he said hesitantly, avoiding Kevin’s eyes.

"And do you understand now why I’m here?"

Joaquin slowly nodded, his hand shaking slightly as he reached out to touch Kevin's arm.

"Yes I understand, and I am so sorry. I wish I could’ve been here for you and helped you." Joaquin looked up, shining blue eyes locking onto Kevin’s.

Kevin took a staggering breath, looking at Joaquin with big green eyes, tears shimmering in them. "It was hard, Joaquin. I wished you were by my side more often than I probably should have. It would have made everything so much better, but I know you didn't have a choice. I don’t blame you."

Joaquin took hold of Kevin’s hands now. "But maybe I can help you now. I’m always here for you, Kevin, I promise you." He was hoping his words would change something, that Kevin would realize he didn't need The Farm, that he still had someone who cared about him and wanted to listen to his problems.

Kevin smiled and blinked a few times, and then reached out to stroke Joaquin's hair, tucking a stray strand behind his ear. "Thank you, Joaquin."

Of course, Evelyn caught them in that moment, seemingly popping up out of thin air. "Oh! Kevin, you found Joaquin! I wanted to introduce you two to each other, but I see you’re already pretty close. That's so nice."

"Um, well we know each other from the past,” Kevin explained, glancing towards Joaquin with fondness before looking back to Evelyn.

"Oh, what a surprise.” Suddenly, Evelyn’s face grew confused before lighting up in realization. “Wait a minute! Your ex was called Joaquin too! So is this your ex?"

"Yes, that's him."

"Oh my god, such a coincidence! I would even say this is fate. You two should work together on the next Farm project! It will be about learning to forgive and to embrace love wherever you find it."

Joaquin was inwardly rolling his eyes. It was a typical Evelyn thing to say in that sickeningly sweet voice and with that fake smile on her face. He would have loved to take Kevin's hand and run. But instead, he smiled at Evelyn and nodded, acting as if everything was fine, putting an arm around Kevin's waist and pulling him closer.

"Yes, that sounds like a good idea, don't you think Kevin?"

"Yeah, I agree."

Kevin looked happy. He really seemed to believe this was good. It broke Joaquin's heart to see how trusting Kevin still was. How easily he believed that Evelyn was his friend and had his happiness in mind. On the other hand, was it really such a wonder? After listening to Kevin's interview, it was quite clear that he had felt abandoned by all his other friends. No wonder he had turned to Evelyn when she listened to his problems and offered him a smile and a hug.

But Joaquin decided to make the best of the situation. Being Kevin's partner in some Farm project meant they would spend more time together and perhaps he could use that time to convince Kevin that they should leave this cult. He’d do whatever it took because Joaquin would definitely not stop until he had saved his Preppy.


	2. Chapter 2

Working with Kevin on the farm project proved to be a great decision, and not only for the purpose of staying close to Kevin to get a chance to convince him the Farm was bad. It was great because it actually helped them talk about everything that had happened between them.

They had to do some group work with the other participants. It was the usual trust building stuff like having to share one secret of theirs or letting themselves fall backward, trusting the others to catch them. But most of the time they worked in pairs.

Evelyn also set some assignments, telling people in groups of two to open their minds and hearts for their project partner, to let the other know your ghosts and darkest thoughts in order to find acceptance and forgiveness.

It was day three of their project, and Kevin and Joaquin were once again working together, just the two of them. This time, they had retreated to a little empty office room. There they sat next to each other at the desk about to start their assignment.

Of course, Evelyn had made sure to put a plate with brownies on the table in front of them, drugged as Joaquin suspected, before wishing them an inspirational day and leaving them alone. Kevin was just about to take a brownie, but Joaquin gently patted his hand away, reminding him once again that they contained drugs. Luckily, Kevin nodded and pulled his hand away with a good-natured grin on his face.

"You know, it's actually cute how you are looking out for me, mom."

Joaquin couldn't help it. Even though it was a serious situation, he had to chuckle softly. Kevin was grinning at him with sparkling green eyes, looking as playful as ever, and it reminded Joaquin so much of their happy times together. He found himself smiling back, a real smile, and reaching out to gently stroke Kevin's arm for a moment before sitting up and looking at the paper with their assignment of the day.

"Pick something you can't forgive yourself for and share it with your partner. Find a way to forgiveness together."

The happy smile turned into a bitter laugh. Joaquin could easily tell his whole life story. There were too many things he regretted, too many things that he would never forgive himself for. He looked up, biting his lip nervously while fixing Kevin with an intense gaze. He had to do it, had to tell Kevin. Maybe it would really ease his mind.

With a shaky breath, Joaquin began.

"I will never forgive myself for what I did to you, Kevin. I should have run when I saw Jason's body, I should have told FP to go to hell when he asked me to help him and to use my relationship with you to spy on your dad. It wasn't right.” He had to pause to take a deep breath, shame gathering in his stomach when he realized his throat had gotten tight. “After that, I shouldn't have just left town. I abandoned you. There had to have been another way. I should have been a better boyfriend."

His voice was trembling slightly, tears running down his face without him wanting them to. The memories were too hurtful, the shame and regret in his heart too much. Saying it out loud, hearing those words in the otherwise quiet room, made it even worse. What kind of asshole was he? How could he have done that to the boy he claimed to love?

He had to turn his head and look to the floor, not able to take it anymore. More than anything he wanted to disappear, but then Kevin's hand was on his knee, stroking it soothingly. His voice sounded hoarse when he addressed Joaquin.

"I forgive you. I already did."

Joaquin couldn’t bring himself to look at Kevin’s face, terrified that he’d see evidence that Kevin was lying to him.

"But...but why? I don't deserve it."

Joaquin was still staring to the floor, shaking his head in disbelief at Kevin's words. He felt like shit. How could Kevin say he forgave him? There was no way he was telling the truth. He deserved way better than Joaquin. He was startled when Kevin reached out suddenly and put a finger under his chin, lifting his head so that Joaquin was forced to look at Kevin.

Tears were shimmering in Kevin's eyes too, and he looked earnest, but his voice was soft and the touch of his hand gentle.

"I forgive you, I mean it. Of course, I was angry at you. I was disappointed, but then I had lots of time to think about it, and I came to realize that it wasn't your fault. You got dragged into all this mess without wanting to. How could you have just walked away from your Serpent King? He would have never let you refuse to help him. And the thing about my dad… it's bad, yeah, but understandable, and did you really do that much? I don't think so, Joaquin. We didn't even talk a lot about my dad's case."

"Yes, I... I only did the minimum of what was expected of me. I mostly told FP that I didn't know anything new, that your dad didn't talk about his work with you.” Joaquin paused for a moment and thought, wishing Kevin would stop looking at him like he was worth anything. “But still... I kept so many things from you, lied to you sometimes even if you simply asked me what I’d been doing."

He sighed, biting his lip and looking at Kevin searchingly, hoping that Kevin really meant what he said, that he really could forgive Joaquin the things Joaquin couldn't forgive himself. A slow, sad smile was creeping over Kevin's face, and he moved his hand to cup Joaquin's cheek, a touch so sweet that Joaquin automatically leaned into it, closing his eyes for a moment to savor it.

"It's ok, Joaquin, I promise, I forgive you. But I need to ask you to forgive me too."

Now that caught Joaquin off guard. He opened his eyes, staring at Kevin incredulously.

"Forgive you? For what? You did nothing wrong, there’s nothing to forgive."

Kevin shook his head slightly and got up from his chair, taking a few steps away from Joaquin. He looked back at him sheepishly and then averted his gaze, gnawing on his lip. He looked so guilty as if he’d done something terrible, but there was nothing in this world Joaquin could think of that would justify Kevin looking like this. It was heartbreaking to see him so nervous. Kevin was always too good, too nice, putting others first and forgetting his own needs in the process. He was still staring at a point on the wall behind Joaquin, refusing to look at him, when he started to talk,

"I ask forgiveness for talking bad about you after you left and for thinking the worst about you. When I confronted you about Jason, I honestly believed for a moment that you were actively involved in his murder. That you... that you had been there and knew who the killer was and you were protecting him.” The corners of Kevin’s mouth were turned down as if he was trying not to cry. “It was such a bad thing to think, especially after knowing you and knowing how sweet and caring you are. I am so sorry, Joaquin... for lashing out at you at that moment and threatening to rat you out to my dad. I wanted to hurt you, and I did it completely intentionally… I feel so bad about it."

His voice cracked, and a single tear ran down his face slowly. He looked haunted and all Joaquin wanted to do was grab him and hug him and never let go again. For a moment he was unsure what to do, but then he just went for it and walked over to Kevin pulling him into his arms.

"Kevin... no, please don't feel bad. I understand all of that. You were so upset and felt betrayed. It's normal that you lashed out at me. It's normal that you hated me. You can't be blamed for that. Hell, I hated me, too."

Kevin wrapped his arms around him too now, hugging him back tightly. It felt wonderful to be in that embrace, even though the circumstances were upsetting. Joaquin found himself slumping against Kevin, all strength leaving him. He wanted to stay like this forever, in Kevin's arms, secluded from the rest of the world and just forget about everything that had happened in the past. For a moment he allowed himself that luxury, closing his eyes and pretending that they weren't at the Farm, that they hadn't been through hell, that they were just two boyfriends who were happy, hugging before they went out to Pop's to drink milkshakes and laugh together over some funny things their friends had said.

His little daydream was interrupted by Kevin's voice, barely a whisper.

"Do you forgive me? Please say it, Joaquin... I need to hear it."

"Of course I forgive you,” Joaquin responded immediately, no question in his mind.

Kevin pulled away from their embrace, looking at Joaquin with tear streaks on his cheeks, but he was smiling.

"I think we completed our assignment."

Joaquin blinked at him in confusion before realizing that of course, this had been part of their Farm project. Even so, he was glad they had done it. Feeling like this was a big step towards the right direction if they wanted to become closer again, maybe even become boyfriends again. He smiled back at Kevin and reached out again to stroke his arm.

"Yeah, we did great on the assignment, I think... thank you."

Before he could think twice about it, he quickly pressed a gentle kiss to Kevin's cheek, letting his lips linger on the soft skin a moment too long for it to be just a friendly gesture.

He looked up into Kevin's eyes after ending the little kiss, wanting to know how Kevin felt about it. Kevin was looking right back at him, a slightly baffled expression on his face as if he didn't know what to do with this. But then he chuckled softly, the laughter reaching his eyes.

"I missed this. Your little kisses and hugs and random compliments. You always knew how to make me feel special..."

His voice was full of affection and something else, longing maybe, thinking back to a happier time, a whole different world, before everything had gone to hell.

"It's because you ARE special, Preppy. I wish we could go back to that time and... I don't know, just run away together or something stupid like that… so we could stay in that happy bubble forever."

Maybe it was too much to say, but the words had left his mouth before he had even realized he was thinking them. Perhaps it was because of the way they were standing so close to each other or the whole mood after confessing their past sins, but something had made him voice his thoughts, and it didn't even feel wrong to do it.

They were still standing so close that they were almost touching, eyes still locked onto each other and Joaquin felt as if some invisible force was pulling him in, making him lean forward as if in slow motion, heart beating wildly in his chest. Only a few inches more… but before he could close the little remaining distance between them, Kevin was the one who tilted his head and brushed his lips over Joaquin's.

He stilled for a moment, seemingly waiting for Joaquin's reaction and Joaquin made a little strangled sound in the back of his throat before putting a hand on Kevin's neck and kissing him back slowly.

The kiss felt familiar, like coming home. Kissing Kevin had always been like this. Sometimes passionate, other times gentle or just lazy before falling asleep, but always comforting, as if everything would be ok if Joaquin just kept on kissing those lips.

He felt Kevin's arms wrap around his waist and his lips move against Joaquin’s gently. The kiss was tender and slow, and it went on for a long time, both unwilling to be the first to pull away. It was the sound of the bell ringing, indicating that it was lunch time, that made them end the kiss at the same moment, parting slowly and smiling a bit dazedly at each other.

"Wow..." Kevin's voice was full of wonder, he was shaking his head slightly as if in disbelief that this had really happened, cheeks flushed slightly. It reminded Joaquin so much of their first kiss ever in the Twilight Drive-In. Kevin had been just as amazed by what had happened between them back then.

Joaquin chuckled softly, the happiest sound he had made in a long time and slowly pulled away, his eyes still on the beautiful boy in front of him. He reached out to take Kevin's hand, intertwining their fingers.

"Let's go to lunch, Preppy. And maybe later we can continue this... the kissing?"

He smirked at Kevin, unable to hide his excitement, his whole face lighting up, eyes sparkling with happiness. And his smile grew even bigger when Kevin squeezed his hand and nodded eagerly,

"We will definitely continue this."

They really did. After lunch they went back to Joaquin's room, kissing on his bed for hours until it was dark outside and Kevin had to go home, reluctantly leaving Joaquin behind, who fell back on his bed with a happy sigh. Joaquin spent the rest of the evening daydreaming about Kevin.

He only remembered his real mission the next morning. He had gotten distracted by kissing Kevin and fantasizing about being his boyfriend again, but the most important thing was still to get Kevin away from the Farm. Maybe he would listen to Joaquin now that they had become so close again.

Kevin came to visit him every day now, and Joaquin had a sinking feeling that maybe he had dragged Kevin even further into the Farm. If your boyfriend, or whatever they were, was living at the Sisters, you had to come here all the time after all.

"I was thinking about going back to the Serpents."

Joaquin blurted out while lying in bed with Kevin, both in various states of undress, cuddling after a long and intense make-out session. At Joaquin's words, Kevin lifted his head that had been resting on Joaquin's chest and looked at him with a frown.

"Joaquin, that's a bad idea. The Serpents don't even have a real place to stay anymore. They’re camping down by the river. Why would you go there when you can stay here in a nice room with running water where you get warm meals every day?"

Joaquin sighed, stroking Kevin's hair gently while meeting his gaze, "I always just wanted to stay here until my injuries healed and I was back to my former strength. That's the case now, so I think I should take the next step."

"Stay here. It's a good place."

"Kevin, it's all an act, or most of it is at least. The Farm is part of G&G! I don't know what the greater scheme of this whole game is or who is behind it, but I know that it is dangerous and kills people. And Edgar is using all those farmies to donate all their money to him. That's how cults work, Kevin, and this is definitely a cult."

"But they’re so nice..."

"I know that they are. It's their job to act nice and understanding. Preppy, I know you were lonely and in need of comfort, but the Farm isn't the right place for that. Please just trust me. I’m here now, so you’re not lonely anymore. I will help you get away from here. Go back to your dad and tell him about this, and his wife too, Mrs. McCoy. They’re smart people, they’ll know what to do. Please, you have to stay away from the Farm. I need to know you’re safe! And I’ll come with you, we can leave together!"

His voice had risen slightly towards the end in his desperation to convince Kevin. He was looking at Kevin pleadingly, begging him to believe him, his hand still tangled in Kevin's soft hair, stroking it lightly.

Kevin stared at him without saying anything, but he reached out to gently cup Joaquin's cheek. There was such tenderness in the way he touched Joaquin and in the way his eyes softened while looking at him. For a moment Joaquin thought he had done it, had finally made Kevin realize that the Farm was bad for him, but before he could feel too triumphant, Kevin answered him in a soft and very soothing voice, as if he was talking to a scared animal.

"Baby, I know that you have been through so much. I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like for you in juvie or when you were poisoned. I understand that you’re upset and that you see demons everywhere. It's hard for you to trust anyone after all that... but these people, Edgar and Evelyn, they want to help you. This isn't a cult, Joaquin, this isn't G&G.”

Joaquin’s heart sank as he took in Kevin’s words. He’d failed. Again.

Kevin, though, didn’t seem to notice the way Joaquin’s face fell. He just kept talking. “Just look at the assignment Evelyn gave us the other day. It made us find a way to each other again. How can that be bad? I won't let you leave and stay in a camp surrounded by a gang, which is still getting into all kinds of trouble all the time. You stay here, Joaquin, wait until you are fully healed. Your body may have healed already, but your mind hasn't."

Joaquin's heart clenched. Kevin was still blindly believing everything Edgar and Evelyn told him, and the worst thing was that he thought Joaquin was the one who was not right in the head. Even though he wanted to, even though it would have been justified, Joaquin couldn't even be angry at Kevin. He knew that his Preppy was just worried. Kevin truly thought the Farm was helping Joaquin, but Joaquin still shook his head slightly, looking deeply into Kevin's eyes.

His voice was strong and steady as he said, "I'm not crazy, Kevin."

Kevin looked embarrassed, biting his lip and gnawing on it for a moment, before leaning closer to kiss Joaquin's cheek tenderly.

"Sorry, that came across wrong. I know that you aren't crazy. But you are confused and haunted by your past."

Joaquin felt as if they were going in circles. No matter what he said, Kevin always told him the Farm was good, and it only made Joaquin look more unstable and in need of healing. The more he tried to convince Kevin they had to leave, the more his Preppy became convinced that they needed to stay. Joaquin had to think of something to break the cycle. He needed evidence.

He decided that the best way to find some big dark secrets was to go through all the files in Edgar's office. Of course, it wasn't a room you could just walk into, so Joaquin waited until night-time a few days later to sneak down the corridor and use his old Serpent talents to pick the lock and break in.

It was frustrating at first. He only found the standard files about the Farm members: name, age, address, things that everyone could have. However, he came across a little slip of paper hidden away in the back of a drawer, which Joaquin discovered to be the password to Edgar's computer, and that brought more information. Lists upon lists about the people living in Riverdale, their connections and their money and assets, including comments on how to best gain their trust and which weak family members to target to get to the money.

Joaquin quickly clicked through the files until he reached the letter "M" and there it was: "Sierra McCoy, former mayor, now working as a lawyer again, married to Tom Keller, ex-sheriff currently unoccupied. Very wealthy, two houses plus an office building. Top target. Best to reach through the children."

Then followed a list of Kevin's and Josie's school schedule and activities, and in conclusion a little paragraph. "Most likely to join: Kevin Keller. Seems lonely, is still recovering from the divorce of his parents, found a dead body, witnessed a shooting, probably suffers from PTSD, gay, and going through a break-up. Will likely turn to Evelyn if she shows interest in his problems."

It was everything Joaquin needed. He was feeling ecstatic and quickly pressed the button to print out the information, already picturing showing it to Kevin and finally getting him to realize that the Farm didn't care about him at all and only wanted Sierra's money.

At that moment the door of the office opened. Edgar, Evelyn, and two other guys came in, catching Joaquin entirely off guard. He jumped when the door opened and stared at the little group with horror growing in his eyes. He had to get away.

He looked around desperately, searching for another exit, but there was only this one door, that was blocked by them. Maybe he could escape through one of the windows. In a split second, he made up his mind, snatched the paper with the information about Kevin's family and ran to the window, but before he could get it open, strong hands grabbed him and pulled him away, pushing him against the wall so hard that the breath was knocked out of him.

Joaquin fought them, still too surprised to know what he was doing, but he had been in lots of fights before, so he reacted instinctively and kicked out and struggled. He knew only one thing: he had to get away. It was just like when the Gargoyles had brought him to the King, forcing him to drink from the poisoned chalice. Fear was clawing at his heart, making Joaquin's breathing come out in harsh little pants, eyes wide with panic.

But his struggling was in vain. The two farm guys were stronger than him, and they were holding him in such a brutal grip that Joaquin wasn't able to get free despite putting up a fight.

Joaquin saw Edgar walking up to him with a malicious glint in his eyes, which made Joaquin throw all his body weight against the two farmies in front of him, a last desperate attempt to escape, knowing that if the cult leader reached him, there would be grave consequences.

For a second, he thought he had made it as one of the guys stumbled back a few steps, but just when Joaquin was about to punch the second guy, Edgar reached him and pushed him in the chest, making his back hit the wall again.

"Oh no, you are going nowhere, DeSantos."

Edgar's voice sounded hard, full of cold rage, sending a shiver down Joaquin's spine. He lifted his head slightly to look at the leader of the Farm, who usually put on a charming little smile and an understanding and well-meaning expression on his handsome face. Right now Edgar didn't bother to act harmless. His face was hard, mouth pressed together in an angry line, his gaze unrelenting, boring into Joaquin's eyes.

Before Joaquin could say anything, Edgar's hand darted forward and grabbed Joaquin's hair, tugging on it and slamming Joaquin's head back against the wall violently, making Joaquin see stars and cry out in pain.

Edgar twisted his fingers in Joaquin's hair not letting go of him and brought his face closer to Joaquin until his lips were almost touching Joaquin's cheek. He whispered harshly to him, "Oh, Joaquin... so we were right to never trust you. Yes, we watched you. Evelyn was pretty sure she could get you to change your mind if she gave you back your beloved Kevin, but I told her it wouldn't work. I knew you wouldn't obey."

It was Evelyn's cue to speak up too. She sighed dramatically and shook her head, looking at Joaquin as if he was a naughty child who had done something to upset his mother. Her voice was still sickeningly sweet but laced with anger.

"That's really too bad. I am so disappointed in you Joaquin. Didn't we do everything in our power to help you? We gave you a home, tended your injuries, fed you, gave you back your boyfriend, and yet you betrayed us! It's so sad that it has to end this way."

Joaquin felt the panic rise in him. He didn't want things to end. He didn't want to die. These people were evil, and he knew they wouldn't hesitate to get rid of him by killing him off. He couldn't die, not now when he had to save Kevin!

He had fought for his life before, and he would do it again. The thought of Kevin was his strongest motivation. He was feeling dizzy, blood rushing in his ears, but he struggled again, trying to get the guys off him, kicking out at Edgar and managing to hit his shin, which made Edgar hiss in pain.

It wasn't enough. The two Farm guys were too strong, and Joaquin watched in horror as Edgar lifted his fist, and the next thing Joaquin felt was immense pain, just like he had in the fighting pit in juvie, as Edgar's fist connected with his jaw.

After that came only blackness, slowly creeping across Joaquin's vision until everything was dark and he lost consciousness.


End file.
